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The Message of 1 Peter by Edmund Clowney explains how the message of Peter's first letter turned the world upside down for his readers. He saw the people of the young church of the first century as strangers, aliens who were only temporary residents, travelers heading for their native land. Edmund Clowney believes that no true Christian can escape at least a measure of suffering for Christ's sake. Out of his first hand knowledge as an apostle of Christ, Peter shows us what the story of Jesus' life means for us as we take up our cross and follow him. Edmund Clowney is emeritus professor of practical theology and former president of Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.

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Publisher's Description

The message of Peter's first letter turned the world upside-down for his readers. He saw the people of the young church of the first century as strangers, aliens who were only temporary residents, travelers heading for their native land. Peter speaks to our own pilgrimage when he tells of suffering now and glory to come. Stormy seasons of persecution were beginning for the churches in Asian Minor. These storms rage on in the modern world. Edmund Clowney believes that no true Christian can escape at least a measure of suffering for Christ's sake. Out of his firsthand knowledge as an apostle of Christ, Peter shows us what the story of Jesus' life means for us as we take up our cross and follow him.

Author Bio

Edmund P. Clowney (1917-2005) received his B.A. from Wheaton College in 1939, a Th.B. from Westminster Theological Seminary in 1942, an S.T.M. from Yale University Divinity School in 1944 and a D.D. from Wheaton College in 1966. Ordained in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, he served as pastor of several churches from 1942 to 1946 and was then invited to become assistant professor of practical theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in 1952. He became that institution's first president in 1966, and he remained there until 1984, when he took a post as theologian-in-residence at Trinity Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Charlottesville, Virginia. In 1990, Clowney moved to Escondido, California, where he served as adjunct professor at Westminster Seminary California. In 2001, he took a full-time position as associate pastor at Christ the King Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Houston, Texas. After two years, he returned to Charlottesville, where he resumed part-time the post of theologian-in-residence at Trinity Presbyterian Church. He remained in this role until his death. Clowney was instrumental in the birth or growth of such ministries as the Reformed Theological Seminary in Aix-en-Provence, France; Westminster Seminary California; Trinity Church, Charlottesville; the Lausanne Conference; InterVarsity ministries, both in the United States and in England; and "The Westminster Ministerial Institute," an inner-city training program for pastors in Philadelphia, out of which was grown the Center for Urban Theological Studies. Clowney is remembered by many as a preacher, perhaps the most gifted proponent and practitioner of redemptive-historical preaching of this generation. His writing also displays the great theme of his life, namely Christ's presence in the whole of Scripture and his present work in the church. His books include and Clowney left a legacy not only of written book and articles, but also a great number of sermons and lectures, as well as magazine columns such as the humorous "Eutychus and His Pin" for and Bible studies for

Dr. Edmund Clowny writes beautifully, but beyond that, he articulates many rather complex ideas with clarity. The commentary is formatted in a way that is easy to follow, and it has excellent study questions at the end which require far more than fill-in-the-blank responses. They are thought-provoking without being ponderous, and they allow for a personalized consideration of the topic if desired. This is an excellent commentary: Highly recommended.

This is by far one of the best devotional commentaries on 1 Peter that I have ever read. It should be read, as the author suggests, as well as consulted as a reference work. The language is not technical, and therefore anyone can read it and learn much from it. I highly recommend this book for the layman, seminary student, ministers, and pastors.

There are several legitimate strengths to Clowneys work. First, the devotional quality of the book is outstanding. It is apparent that the author has done his homework and is no slouch on the technical issues in the text. However, he wisely reserves these concerns for footnotes or appendices. Clowneys intent in this work is noted in the opening sentence of the preface, This exposition has been written in the hope that it will be read and not just consulted. The NIV text is interspersed throughout the comments so the reader can very easily move through the book and not even have to look back and forth from Bible to commentary. The text divisions are relatively short allowing the reader to sit down and easily read a complete section on a specific passage in 10-15 minutes. Clowney has also labored to use illustrations from life and history in his exposition of 1 Peter, rendering something that reads more like a well-researched sermon than a cold commentary. Second, Clowney draws his research from both contemporary commentaries and early church fathers. This adds considerable breadth and interest. Lastly, Clowney is a relative expert in the field of biblical theology which focuses on putting the story of the Bible together. 1 Peter, with its numerous Old Testament quotations and allusions, provides a worthy proving ground for Clowneys biblical-theological enterprise. Some weaknesses of the work are the seemingly repetitive flashbacks to Peters former ministry alongside Jesus. Certainly, we can draw much from the apostles experiences recorded in the gospels, but Clowney may go too far in creating a veritable psyche for Peters writing. Also, the study guide questions in the back are not very good. Without a doubt the strengths of this commentary outnumber its weaknesses. I would highly recommend this commentary for anyone seeking a devotional guide for going through the book of 1 Peter.